How does Acts 3:11 demonstrate the importance of community in Christian faith? Setting the scene “While the beggar clung to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and ran to them in the colonnade called Solomon’s.” (Acts 3:11) Community leaps off the page - A newly healed man refuses to let go of the brothers who helped him. Relationship forms instantly. - The crowd “ran” together—shared amazement draws them into one place, one moment. - Solomon’s Colonnade was a covered walkway where believers regularly gathered (Acts 5:12). From the very start, public, communal faith was normal Christian life. Why this matters 1. Shared experience strengthens faith • The miracle is witnessed, discussed, and remembered together. • No one walks away saying, “That was just my private blessing.” 2. Leaders and laity stand side by side • Peter and John do not rush off; they stay accessible, letting the healed man cling. • Shepherding happens in real time, not behind closed doors. 3. The crowd becomes the congregation • What begins as curiosity will become an opportunity for Peter’s sermon (vv. 12-26). • Evangelism flourishes where community gathers. Echoes throughout Scripture - Acts 2:42-47—believers devote themselves to “fellowship… breaking of bread… prayers.” - Hebrews 10:24-25—“let us consider how to spur one another on… not neglecting to meet together.” - 1 Corinthians 12:26—“If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” - Galatians 6:2—“Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” - John 13:34-35—love displayed among disciples is the proof to the watching world. Practical takeaways for today - Stay close to those God uses in your life; cling like the healed man. - Make room for astonished onlookers—community often starts with shared wonder. - Keep public, consistent gathering spaces; they invite conversation about Jesus. - Move from individual testimony to corporate witness; tell what God has done in the company of others. - Expect teaching, encouragement, and evangelism to flourish when believers are visibly together. |
    |